


You see, in our century, we've learned not to fear words.

by Pixie (magnetgirl)



Category: All Rise (TV 2019), Star Trek
Genre: Gen, Legal Drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:35:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29615778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/Pixie
Summary: "Uhura. The star in my sky. My goddess. She made me feel like I could be anybody." - Judge Lola Carmichael
Relationships: Lola Carmichael & Nyota Uhura
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5
Collections: Black Is Beautiful 2021





	You see, in our century, we've learned not to fear words.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kira_katrine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kira_katrine/gifts).



> Thank you so much for requesting Lola fic and especially Lola & Uhura fic. My one regret is not getting Robin into the fic because I love him and I love the dynamics of their marriage. But this ended up about Lola and her ladies, and I was really happy with that. Also all my legal knowledge comes from legal dramas on TV so please forgive any mistakes with the procedure. I hope you enjoy this meeting between heroes.
> 
> The _Star Trek_ episode Lola quotes is "A Taste of Armageddon".
> 
> Content Warning: COVID and deportation are briefly mentioned in the set up.

"Your honor, the continuance is necessary." Emily's eyes were as determined as ever. 

"A  _ third _ continuance is completely unreasonable," argued Maggie. "The state is ready to proceed and has been for weeks."

Lola clasped her hands on her desk and took mental notes of the — familiar — scene before her. Fiery Emily Lopez for the defense. Pragmatic Maggie Palmer for the people. Sherri and Ness hovered, waiting with serenity and agitation, respectively. And in the corner Sara typed, silent and serious. They were in her chambers, but they were still conducting official business.

"My client still hasn't told her story—"

"We can't be held up because of a backlog in the public defender's office."

Emily visibly bristled. "I've met with her three times, but without an interpreter there is only so much I can understand."

Lola frowned. "Why hasn't an interpreter been assigned?"  She narrowed her eyes at each lawyer in turn. Both exhibited some chagrin, neither had an answer.

"There was a shortage of interpreters before the pandemic," Sherri interjected. "Now..." She drifted off but the conclusion was clear: it was that much worse.

"Normally I could get a college student," Emily said. "But even if I could find one," a big 'if' given how many schools had their schedules disrupted, "they wouldn't be allowed in the building." The prisons were still under strict lock down orders. Only court officers and medical personnel were allowed in, even most family weren't able to visit.

Maggie huffed. "Look, this is an open and shut case. The girl was found standing over the victim's body covered in his blood. It was like a horror movie."

"It's _exactly_ like a horror movie," Emily shot back, "and she is the protagonist." Another victim, Lola inferred. "We need to hear her side. It's the law."

"Well, that's another issue."

"What—"

Lola held up her hand, recognizing Emily was close to losing what little cool she had. "What issue?"

Again, Maggie's expression showed some evidence of chagrin, but she plowed on. "The defendant is here on a student visa. She's required to be enrolled full time and with her imprisonment—"

Emily gasped. "You cannot be serious. You want to deport her because—"

"Because she broke the agreement."

"She can't attend class because you have her locked up!"

"And you keep delaying the trial!"

Emily turned back to Lola. "This child is a—"

"The defendant is nineteen years old," Maggie said.

"Nineteen is a child!"

"Enough." Lola slapped the desk, startling the group.

"I'm sorry, your honor," Emily stammered. Maggie pressed her lips into a thin line. Lola took a breath and addressed the room.

"Ms. Lopez you are granted a continuance of two days. Use it wisely." Emily nodded. "Ness will help find an interpreter." Lola turned to her clerk. "This is your number one priority."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lola nodded and banged her gavel once. Everyone except Sherri bustled out of the room.

"Judge," she began, but Lola raised her hand again.

"I know." Ordering her law clerk to help the defense, even for a court related task, was close to crossing the line. And Maggie Palmer was the type to bring it up to review. But it was done, and Lola was secure in the belief that a fair trial required a good interpreter. She could defend her choices if necessary.

Sherri nodded, understanding. "Your afternoon is clear now. Take a break." With the baby and always full docket a reprieve was hard to find these days. 

"Thank you, Sherri."

Her assistant exited and Lola was finally alone. She leaned back in her chair and pushed away from the desk. The chair spun slowly around and her eyes landed on the framed photo of her childhood hero, Nyota Uhura. 

"I need your expertise," Lola told the photo. A linguist fluent in 83% of the official Federation languages was probably overkill. But she could help! Lola chuckled to herself and closed her eyes.

"Captain."

Lola felt someone shake her shoulder.

"Captain." The tone was more forceful, this time. Lola blinked open her eyes to find Sherri’s worried expression.

"Sherri? How long was I—"

"Captain, the _Enterprise_ has docked. Their chief of communications is on her way."

Lola frowned. "...What?"

"You asked for the duty logs of the incident."

"I did?"

Sherri's concern grew. "...Are you all right, Captain?"

Lola blinked her eyes a few more times. Her office was transformed, everything was still there but it was all gunmetal grey and pastel lighting. Sherri's hair was piled on top of her head and she was wearing ... she was wearing a Starfleet Uniform circa 1966. (Or 2266?) Lola's eyes went wide and she looked down to find herself wearing a similar long sleeved minidress in gold. But what really drove the transformation home was the view of a sky full of stars outside the window. (Viewport?)

It was completely ridiculous, and definitely a dream, but Lola recognized this fantasy and was more than ready to play with it. She turned back to her assistant. (Yeoman?)

"Yes. Of course. Sorry, I was...I drifted off but I'm good now."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Thanks, Sherri."

Sherri's eyes narrowed, but Lola flashed a big smile, and she gave in. With a curt nod, Sherri left, and Lola stood up and wandered around the room touching everything. It was all delightfully retro futuristic. An old desktop computer took up a third of her desk now and beside it a console lit up in a rainbow of lights. She caught her reflection in the screen and looked down at her uniform again. There had to be a better— Lola snapped her fingers and headed to the coat closet. When she arrived the door swished open, disappearing into the wall. She giggled at the noise and peered into the closet to find a full length mirror. The uniform fit like a glove.

"Damn, I look good. Legs for days!"

"Captain?"

Lola jumped and stepped back into the room. As the door swished closed behind her, she clamped down another giggle. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant Uhura," Sherri announced. Uhura walked in, dressed exactly as she was in Lola's photo, but even more beautiful, and powerful, in life. "Lieutenant, Captain Lola Carmichael." 

Lola's eyes grew wide with excitement and she crossed the room, hand outstretched. She grabbed the hand Uhura held out in turn, squeezed and shook, and tried to memorize every second of the interaction.

"I am so pleased to meet you, Lieutenant. You have no idea."

"Thank you. I hope we can get this cleared up quickly."

"Absolutely. Of course. Quick as we can." Lola caught Sherri making a face behind Uhura — the same face she always made outside the dream. "But we shouldn't talk about the case. I have to be impartial you know."

"Of course," Uhura agreed.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Thank you."

Sherri nodded and crossed to a shelf that Lola hadn't noticed. A replicator! Lola was decidedly envious of her Captain-self.

"Lieutenant Uhura of the starship Enterprise! In my office!"

Sherri shot her another look as she placed the coffees between them and took her leave. Uhura simply smiled. 

"You must get that a lot," Lola said.

"What do you mean?"

"You are Lieutenant Uhura of the starship _Enterprise_." Lola said it with reverence, and joy. "You're out there in space the final frontier. Exploring new worlds and new civilizations. Boldly going where no one has gone before!"

Uhura laughed. "That makes it sound a lot more exciting than it is." Lola shook her head in disbelief. "There's a lot of paperwork," Uhura continued. "My equipment breaks down every other week. And not every new civilization is friendly."

"Like the Klingons?"

"Yes," she agreed. "But unaligned planets can be hostile too."

Lola looked excited. "Like that one where war was waged by computer and the computer decided that the _Enterprise_ was a casualty and had to be disintegrated?"

Uhura blinked. "You heard about that?"

"It is one of my favorite stories!" Lola set her cup down and morphed her shoulders into a passable representation of James T. Kirk. "We can admit that we're killers," she quoted, "but we're not... going to kill.... today." Lola paused for dramatic effect before finishing, "That's all it takes."

Uhura grinned. " I guess our missions do make good stories."

"The _best_ stories!" Lola let her shoulders drop, but her giant smile remained.

"What about you?"

Lola scrunched her nose. "What about me?"

"You're Captain Lola Carmichael of the Judge Advocate General," Uhura said, using the same tone of admiration Lola had earlier. "You must have some good stories, too."

Lola smiled. It was absurd to compare her life to Uhura's in terms of entertainment. But this whole situation was absurd, so why not? "I've seen some things. But it's not about me. I'm just an observer."

"We have to observe in order to communicate."

_Huh_. Something scratched at the back of Lola's consciousness. Communication was bigger than knowing the right language, and judgement was more than justice. She pictured Emily and Ness pushing every boundary, Sherri and Brenner reminding her why rules exist.

"Sometimes I want to do more."

Uhura nodded. "We all do. That's why the principle of non-interference exists. And why it still gets broken."

Lola looked up. " I never thought about it like that." Her Prime Directive was to uphold the law. But sometimes the law needs a push to truly be fair. "You just helped me communicate with me!" Impulsively she threw her arms around the lieutenant. "I wish you could stay. But you're right where you're needed." Starring in the stories that put little Lola on her path, and help keep adult Lola from losing hope. Plus, someone has to be the adult on the _Enterprise_.

Uhura closed her arms around Lola in a close embrace. "You're right where you're needed, too."

"Judge? Judge Carmichael?"

Lola felt someone shake her shoulder. 

"Lola?"

"Hmm." Her head felt fuzzy. Ness's eyes narrow with worry. "Oh, sorry, I..." She blinked at the sun pouring in from the window. "I nodded off. What can I do for you?"

"I found an interpreter." Ness gestured to a pretty Black woman in the doorway. She was young, but self-assured, like Ness herself. Dressed in a red sweater, tall boots, with her long hair pulled up into a high ponytail that showed off the gold hoops in her ears. She wasn't the woman in her dream, the woman in her photo, but she was close enough. 

Lola waved for the interpreter to come in and addressed her clerk, " Get Ms. Lopez in here and alert DA Palmer. We've got work to do."


End file.
